God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt. - Genesis 45:7-8

This morning I read and reflected on the life of Joseph. A man that struggled to relate to people, was taken from his loving father by his own brothers, sold into slavery, jailed, and wrongly accused of rape. Joseph's story is amazing because after all of this happens to him, he somehow does not lose heart or faith in God.

Joseph believes he will see God on the other side of darkness. He is restored and his faith in God is rewarded not just with unbelievable blessing, but with his eyes being opened to see the work of God while he was in his time of darkness.

The following are five key points I wrote down after reflecting on the story of Joseph this morning:

Sometimes in our darkest hour the light is present and we just can't see it.

The hardships we face prepare us to serve and minister to others.

The length of or magnitude of our struggle is somehow related to the depth of our need for God's light in our life.

As we face hardships we are given opportunities to either have faith or give up.

There will be a day when we are fully known and we fully see God and His plans on the other side of this world's darkness.

Prayer

Father, I don't know why some struggle more than others. I do know that this world is broken and everyone in it is broken because of sin - and these struggles and hardships should not surprise me, but they do and at times my soul weighs heavy for those I love, lead, and serve. Holy Spirit, help me and others to see you on the other side of darkness - usher us into your light and warmth - a place we can call home. Amen.

Reflection

Have you ever seen the fingerprints of God in your life during a difficult season?

Do you expect the world to be different than it really is?

How can you help those you love, lead, and serve when they are struggling to see God during a dark season of their life?